Overview

• Prime Minister Keir Starmer is considering removing the two-child benefit cap, a move estimated to cost £3.5 billion annually, as part of efforts to address child poverty.
• Starmer has signaled plans to restore winter fuel payments to most pensioners, reversing a previous cut by Labour, with details expected in the autumn budget.
• Nigel Farage's Reform UK plans to announce its commitment to scrapping the two-child benefit cap and fully reinstating winter fuel payments in a speech this week.
• Labour faces internal divisions, with over 100 MPs pushing for broader welfare reforms, while Chancellor Rachel Reeves faces challenges in funding potential U-turns.
• The government's child poverty strategy has been delayed until autumn, aligning with the budget to allow for comprehensive costing of proposed measures.